VERMILLION, S.D. — Aiming for his full return from his 2024 All-America campaign, senior running back Charles Pierre Jr. has been named on of 30 FCS athletes to the STATS Perform Preseason Walter Payton Award watch list.
 
After missing most of 2025 with an injury, the 2024 All-American running back is primed to make his return to the gridiron in 2026 while being named a Second Team Preseason All-American by STATS Perform.
 
The First Team All-MVFC back was the first Coyote in the Division I FCS era to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, hitting the mark with his season-high 173 yards in the win at North Dakota (Nov. 16, 2024). He ran for 1,244 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season in South Dakota's two-back system that saw both him and Theis each rush for 1,000 yards.
 
Entering the 2026 campaign, Pierre Jr. sits fourth in the FCS era in career 100-yard rushing games with six. Four of those 100-yard rushing games for him have come in front of the home crowd at the DakotaDome.
 
Additionally, he sits sixth all-time in the FCS era in career rushing yards (1,716) and looks to become the sixth Division I FCS era Coyote to rush for 2,000+ career yards. He sits fifth in rushing touchdowns at 21, closing in on second-best in 2026 (26, Noah Shepard).
 
Pierre Jr. is one of five Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) preseason watch list members. He's joined by Beau Brungard (QB, Youngstown State), Chase Mason (QB, South Dakota State), DJ Williams (QB, Southern Illinois), and Victor Dawson (RB, Illinois State).
 
The 30-man watch list includes representatives from all 13 FCS football conferences and includes 10 past finalists for the award.
 
ABOUT THE WALTER PAYTON AWARD
The Walter Payton Awards honors the national offensive player in FCS college football, the FCS version of the Heisman Trophy. The first award was presented in 1987 making the 2026 season the award's 40^th anniversary.
 
The award is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame football career.